With the April 30, 2026 Preview Update (KB5083631 / OS Build 26200.8328), Microsoft introduced Window Preloading. This feature pre-caches File Explorer in the background to improve launch speeds. Here’s how to manage it.
Steps to Configure Window Preloading
- Open File Explorer Options:
- Press Windows Key + R, type control.exe folders, then press Enter.
- Or press the Windows Key, type File Explorer Options, and press Enter.
- Access Advanced Settings: In the File Explorer Options window, click the View tab. Scroll down through the Advanced settings list.
- Toggle Window Preloading:
- Enable: Check the box for Enable window preloading for faster launch times.
- Disable: Uncheck the box.
Important Considerations
- Window Preloading makes File Explorer feel faster but uses a small amount of additional RAM to maintain the background process.
- If the option is missing, ensure your system is updated to the latest build via Windows Update.
- This feature is rolling out gradually and may not be available on all devices or in all regions immediately.
By enabling or disabling Window Preloading in Windows 11, you can balance faster app launches with memory usage. This flexibility allows you to tailor system performance to your workflow needs.
Tags
Windows